Tasmania Wind Project Delayed Again
The St Patricks Plains wind project in Tasmania has been delayed for the fifth time, with a new deadline for a federal decision set for November 28.
The project, which has been scaled back from 67 to 47 turbines, is proposed for a site in the Central Highlands, south-east of Milena and 25km north of Bothwell.
The decision on whether the project needs approval under the federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act has been delayed multiple times, with the latest delay requested by developer Ark Energy.
A spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water stated that both the previous delay and the current one were requested by Ark Energy, which has been contacted for comment.
The project, now estimated to be 291 megawatts (MW), was initially deemed to require federal supervision under the EPBC Act in 2019, when it was still owned by Epuron.
Ark Energy acquired the developer in 2022, contributing to the already lengthy EPBC delays.
Author's summary: Tasmania wind project delayed for fifth time.